The present invention generally relates to placing images on textiles, and in particular, to the treatment of textiles for enhancing the definition of the image placed upon the textile.
Images are placed upon a substrate by various methods such as digital printing. Digital printing is the process of placing various small predetermined quantities of a colorant, known as pixels, in predetermined matrix zones of a substrate. Colorants can include dyes, pigments, polymeric colorants, or combinations thereof. Additionally, colorants can include different types and colors of dyes and/or pigments. The pixels can be placed on the substrate by various methods, such as ink jet printing. Typically, digital printing uses a limited small number of different colorants, and only one of these colorants is used for a particular pixel. Variations in colors and shades in digital printing is generally accomplished in digital printing by positioning different colored pixels in adjacent or near-by matrix zones. Although the actual color of the individual pixels is not changed, the impression to a viewer is that the area containing the different colored pixels is a color or shade that is different than any of the actual pixels in the associated area. The impression is created because the pixels are of such a small nature that the viewer cannot readily perceive the individual pixels, and perceives more of an average of the pixels.
Placing images on textiles presents various difficulties not experienced in all substrates. It has been discovered by the inventors of the present invention that, due to the nature of the material in a textile, or the construction of the textile, the color medium (such as ink) used to place the image on the textile may not fill the intended zone for the medium, may bleed outside of the intended zone, or may be absorbed into the textile substrate. If the color medium does not fill the intended zone, the image placed on the textile can lose color intensity due to the presence of the underlying textile substrate color. If the color medium is absorbed into the textile, color intensity can be lost due to at least a portion of the color medium being disposed in an area of the textile that cannot be seen, and/or by the color medium failing to fill the intended zone. If the color medium bleeds outside of the intended zone, image acuity and intensity can be impacted.
These problems are of greater concern with digital printing, where the intended zones for the color medium are smaller and closer together. Furthermore, methods to correct these problems can increase the ability of the textile substrate to lose colorant due to rubbing contact with another surface. Therefore, there is a need for textiles, textile treatments, and methods which reduce the difficulties in placing an image on textiles.